About

Sea Plastic Differently - Recycled Ocean Plastic Sunglasses

$55,367

pledged of $37,000 goal

509

backers

Norton Point is an eyewear brand based on the island of Martha's Vineyard, MA. We believe that the 8 million metric tons of plastic flowing into our oceans is one of our planet's greatest environmental challenges and we have chosen to become part of the solution.

We have developed the first line of eyewear made from recovered high-density-polyethylene (HDPE) ocean plastics. HDPE is a consumer plastic used in millions of products around the world and is one of the most common plastics you will find today.

For every product we sell we are committing to you to clean-up one pound of plastic from the ocean. We have also chosen to give back 5% of net profits to global clean-up, education, and remediation practices.

Please choose from one of our rewards to help us achieve our goal of raising $37,000 for the oceans.

We are in this for the long-haul. As a company our mission is to help create a value chain for the reuse of ocean plastic. To create the value chain we need to show that consumers like you will want to purchase goods made with ocean plastic, resulting in this material being viewed as the valuable resource it is. With your help our first step toward this goal is to sell fashionable, high-quality eyewear.

To aid in this process, Norton Point gives back 5% of Net Profits to organizations like the Ocean Conservancy to improve global clean-up and remediation practices towards stemming the rising tide of ocean plastic.

We also pledge to remove 1 Pound of Plastic for every 1 Pair of Sunglasses we sell to drastically increase the rate at which we can utilize the material. We call this our 1 to 1 Pledge.

Each year 8 Million Metric Tons of plastic enters the world's oceans, drastically altering the delicate balance for marine life. Over 80% of this ocean plastic originates from land based sources.

If nothing is done to combat the flow of ocean plastics into waterways and the sea by 2050 there will be more plastics in the ocean than fish. We can't let this happen!

Think we have time to sit this out? No way! Plastics take upwards of 400+ years to decompose and the current flow of plastic into the ocean will compound rapidly.

Why is this happening? Well 95% of Plastic ( bottles, containers, straws, etc. ) are used just once. Even crazier, the plastic we throw out every year is worth over $80 Billion. It's time we Sea Plastic Differently™.

Getting started was no easy task. Luckily we had the right past work and life experiences to navigate the various obstacles and attract key partners like the Plastic Bank. Finding ocean plastic and securing high-quality manufacturers ( who totally thought we were crazy ) was complicated. But we were able to find partners who were willing to take a risk on our dream and help us figure out how to make sunglasses from recovered ocean plastic. Now we need your help.

Putting a dent in ocean plastic isn’t something that can be done alone. It’s a complicated global problem with many moving parts. That’s why we are excited to have exclusive eyewear partnerships with the Ocean Conservancy and the Plastic Bank who are passionately championing the fight against ocean plastics.

Haiti is home to upwards of 10 million people, many whom live far below the poverty line and struggle to live day-to-day. There are few sources of potable water and as a result the majority of clean drinking water comes from plastic bottles and bags. With little to no waste management systems the bottles and bags end up in the canals and streets that empty directly into the ocean.

Our partner, The Plastic Bank, began their work in Haiti two years ago and in a short period of time has been able to establish a network of collection centers called Social Plastic® Recycling Markets, helping to create jobs and a source of income for local collectors. With your help we’re excited to build our own Social Plastic® Recycling Market to help clean up ocean plastic and provide jobs in Haiti.

The collection is available in 3 Different Styles shown below and to help enhance your cool you can choose any style with BLUE MIRRORED or CHARCOAL Polarized CR-39 Lenses.

With years of sunglasses experience amongst our team we set out to create the most high quality, sustainable sunglasses on the market. HDPE is a difficult material to work with and it took over a year and multiple prototypes to dial in the manufacturing plan.

We pioneered and developed a custom "wave pattern" that will be carefully engraved into the stainless steel molds to give the sunglasses an undeniably unique texture and feel.

Every frame is adorned with our signature stainless-steel compass point which is carefully milled and skillfully placed.

After testing dozens of lenses we chose premium, CR-39 Polarized Lenses. Each laser cut lens features 100% UVA and UVB Protection, a Scratch Resistant Coating, and an Anti-Reflective Coating to ensure the perfect optics for any adventure. Both our Blue Mirrored and Charcoal lens feature this technology.

Before a trip we like to lay all our gear out and make sure we have what we need. Since we know you'll be taking your Norton Points all over the world, we came up with rewards to enhance your life and your style.

No journey is complete without a few well travelled t-shirts so we sourced premium 100% Organic Cotton T's printed with eco-friendly ink and clean and simple designs.

Every pair of sunglasses includes a pouch that is Made in Haiti, constructed from up-cycled tires and locally sourced linen. Manufactured by deux mains designs, an ethical fashion and footwear company creating one-of-a kind artisanal collections in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Through the eclectic fusion of discarded car tires and genuine, locally-sourced materials, deux mains manufactures environmentally responsible sandals and accessories. We're proud to have them as a partner.

Unlike any other case in the world, our Norton Point hard case is made from the same recovered Ocean Plastic that makes our frames. With a simple magnet closure and clean practical design this case will help protect your sunglasses and the ocean.

We had a dream of making a soft case from old wetsuits. 3 weeks and a few dozen phone calls later we discovered an incredible company that was up for the challenge. Ecologic Designs is based in Boulder, Colorado and transforms torn and discarded wetsuits into our beautiful pouches with an ocean plastic d-ring for easy clip on / off storage.

It's been a journey getting to this point. There has been moments filled with total joy and moments of heart-crushing setbacks, but if it were easy everyone would do it, right? Innovation takes time. Sea Plastic Differently is over a year in the making. But the most exciting milestone for us will be seeing how we all come together and share our passion and commitment for cleaner oceans.

We’re excited to have a long standing presence in Haiti but, when it comes to reducing ocean plastic Haiti is just the beginning. As we perfect the model with our partners, we are committed to expanding the reach of our mission across the globe. Close to 60% of the world's ocean plastics originate in five countries in Asia and we will be setting sail to continue our mission. Through our work and education along with your support we can have a real impact on giving back and stopping the flow of plastics into our oceans.

The journey doesn't end after the Kickstarter is finished! We ask that you stay involved and share our Sea Plastic Differently campaign, empower yourself and others to rethink how they use plastic and join us in our continued efforts to travel the globe and create ocean plastic products.

We’ve built the model, secured great partnerships, designed beautiful frames, and constructed a number of high-quality, durable prototypes. Now we need your help! Every donation will help us get closer to the $37,000 we need to create our molds, purchase our first batch of material, and build a Social Plastic® Recycling Market in Haiti. The success of this project is going to depend on this great community. This can’t be done alone and together we all can have an incredible impact! Choose from one if not many of our rewards and help us make the use of ocean plastic in consumer products a reality!

Risks and challenges

We have worked the majority of the past year to mitigate any risks associated with this project including, securing the supply chain, locking in partnerships, and working with our ( now convinced we're onto something big ) manufacturing team to ensure timely delivery.

Thankfully with our partners being The Plastic Bank and the Ocean Conservancy we have developed and locked in exclusive supply of ocean plastic material from Haiti and dozens of global cleanups taking place around the world. We are 100% ready to begin production with the success of this campaign.

We have taken our prototypes and 3D printing capabilities to the max having made dozens of samples and testing for fit, durability, exposure and lens quality.

The next step is you! So we are relying on the vast and supportive Kickstarter community to pitch in and help us bridge the gap to make the Norton Point Ocean Plastic Collection possible and put a dent in Ocean Plastic forever.

Working with the most trusted shipment and logistics providers in the world, we are ensuring a timely and well executed delivery of product to ALL BACKERS and thoughtful responses to ALL questions presented.

We couldn't be more excited to begin this journey and from everyone at Norton Point - THANK YOU!